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The Fifth Column
Joined: 11 Jun 2014
Posts: 331
Location: His habitude with lexical items protrudes not unlike a damaged pollex!!!
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 Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 11:57 am Post subject: |
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| LPKSA wrote: |
| I knew a guy from the States who would brag about how he brought hash into the country on multiple occasions. He hated his life here in KSA and lived only to get high. He was quite possibly the laziest and most worthless person I have ever known. Far more than the reputation for which Saudis are known to have. |
Here's an apt analogy: "Bringing hash into Saudi is to hauling coal to Newcastle."
Idiot. |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 2:43 pm Post subject: |
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That sort is most likely unhappy wherever he was... and would stay stoned there too. A credit to his nationality, race, sex, and religion, I'm sure. 
VS |
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SheikMilkShake
Joined: 02 Jul 2014
Posts: 84
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| Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 4:05 pm Post subject: |
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apparently, you can get almost anything you need in Saudi Arabia.
For someone who asked for " Horlicks" in KSA, there are plenty of Horlicks lovers in KSA. Just ask around and someone will share info with you..
Wednesday, 27 August 2014 - 01 Thul-Qedah 1435 H
Saudi gazette
Two expat women held for selling liquor
CRIMES & CASUALTIES
RIYADH — The Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (Haia) has detained two expatriate women for allegedly selling liquor. Spokesman for the Haia, Turki Al-Shelail, said officers monitored the two suspects after receiving a report of the alleged activities. Commission members followed the pair to their house and caught them with a number of liquor bottles inside. The women were referred to concerned bodies and investigations are still under way. |
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MuscatGary
Joined: 03 Jun 2013
Posts: 1364
Location: Flying around the ME...
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| Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 5:21 pm Post subject: |
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| veiledsentiments wrote: |
| That sort is most likely unhappy wherever he was... and would stay stoned there too. A credit to his nationality, race, sex, and religion, I'm sure. VS |
and was risking being stoned rather than getting stoned.... |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Mon May 25, 2015 7:11 am Post subject: |
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Gamajorba
Joined: 03 May 2015
Posts: 357
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| Posted: Mon May 25, 2015 7:58 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
What to bring? Yourself and lots of documents.
What not to bring? Your sense of disbelief. Your professionalism. |
Perfect.
I worked with several people who brought in pork and booze in their hold luggage somehow. And one of said people was advertising their homemade booze in the workplace as well...awkward.
Even some of my students have admitted to smuggling booze/weed to/from Bahrain (depending on their direction of travel) and I can't help but wonder how easy it probably is to slip a few of the small bottles of Absolut into one's coat through Riyadh, as they only ever seem to x-ray bags and not really look/care. |
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cnthaiksarok
Joined: 29 Jun 2012
Posts: 288
Location: between a rock and a sandy place
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| Posted: Mon May 25, 2015 9:36 am Post subject: |
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| Gamajorba wrote: |
| and not really look/care. |
Prolly what that Brit guy thought a few years back when he got caught trying to smuggle in a Chinese chick under a blanket in his backseat.  |
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cnthaiksarok
Joined: 29 Jun 2012
Posts: 288
Location: between a rock and a sandy place
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| Posted: Mon May 25, 2015 9:37 am Post subject: |
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| Gamajorba wrote: |
| Perfect. |
Yeh,...don't be professional....real perfect... |
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Gamajorba
Joined: 03 May 2015
Posts: 357
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| Posted: Mon May 25, 2015 9:51 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| Prolly what that Brit guy thought a few years back when he got caught trying to smuggle in a Chinese chick under a blanket in his backseat. |
I did say at the airport, not the land border crossings.
| cnthaiksarok wrote: |
| Yeh,...don't be professional....real perfect... |
Frankly, I agree with him. The entire country seems to be unprofessional, and just make up rules as they go on when it suits them most, And it seems people can get away with absolute murder here and suffer no repercussions for anything. But that's just MY opinion. People are welcome to disagree with it. |
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cnthaiksarok
Joined: 29 Jun 2012
Posts: 288
Location: between a rock and a sandy place
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| Posted: Mon May 25, 2015 5:19 pm Post subject: |
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| Gamajorba wrote: |
| Frankly, I agree with him. |
That's not a surprise.
Personally (when faced with unprofessionalism), I feel that that's the best time to be even more professionally secure and appropriate than usual. But you (of course) are entitled to your opinion as well. |
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cnthaiksarok
Joined: 29 Jun 2012
Posts: 288
Location: between a rock and a sandy place
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| Posted: Mon May 25, 2015 5:22 pm Post subject: |
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| Gamajorba wrote: |
| I did say at the airport, not the land border crossings. |
Yes. I read your post and understood it.
The point is...at ANY and ALL customs/immigration checkpoints in Saudi (and elsewhere) their apparent lackadaisical attitudes seem very convenient for certain hijinks and it's all fun n games till somebody gets nabbed.
I've seen it man - and I've even helped clean up the mess 2 times. |
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Gamajorba
Joined: 03 May 2015
Posts: 357
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| Posted: Mon May 25, 2015 5:52 pm Post subject: |
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| cnthaiksarok wrote: |
| Gamajorba wrote: |
| Frankly, I agree with him. |
That's not a surprise.
Personally (when faced with unprofessionalism), I feel that that's the best time to be even more professionally secure and appropriate than usual. But you (of course) are entitled to your opinion as well. |
If only you knew my circumstances... |
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cnthaiksarok
Joined: 29 Jun 2012
Posts: 288
Location: between a rock and a sandy place
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| Posted: Tue May 26, 2015 4:19 am Post subject: |
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| Gamajorba wrote: |
| If only you knew my circumstances... |
Well,... I had a fairly decent peek at them in another thread, but no, you're right – not one of us knows exactly what another one of us is going through here on this forum. The mind boggles at the possibilities.
I do sympathize with you, however and wouldn’t waste yours or anyone else’s time by stating ridiculous notions like: "Saudi is a breeze to work in," or the like.
John Slat = one of (if not THE) most experienced Saudi vets on this board and something that he’s repeated really sticks with me – especially when the chips are down – (and I’m paraphrasing here) “there are a number of things that a teacher needs in his arsenal to survive a contract (or subsequent contracts) in Saudi and a BIG one is: A bizarre sense of humor.”
At the risk of co-closing yet another thread for off-topic (ness), being labeled a horn-tooter AND coming across as less than empathetic to your undoubtedly challenging situation, I'll give you a little glimpse into my own endeavors.
I once shared a house (off-compound) with 4 other teachers. It was contract provided and there was little else one could do w/o taking a monster income-cut. We did the best we could. We worked split shifts and were driven to and fro (that's 4 x per day) by a very nice, young Sri Lankan man who couldn't drive his way out of a parking lot w/o putting everyone's life in danger (including any pedestrians in the vicinity).
I took it upon myself to take him down to the license agency and get him trained to drive. He took a week course, hit another car during the driving portion of the test and they passed him. (licensed him) I was told by the authority, “It wasn’t a serious accident.”
Meanwhile, some of us had been contracted out to the Land Forces to teach high-level officers in an intensive English course.
The "Top" officers and I got along famously, until test day. One particular man was wearing a thobe instead of his usual uniform and when queried said that he didn't feel well, and in those instances it was allowable to don the local dress. I let that go. A bit later after the tests had been distributed - he raised his hand to ask a question. As his sleeve naturally fell down it revealed a plethora of crib notes, cheat charts, etc. written all over his arm.
I immediately, took his test and sent him to the commander.
In short time I was summoned and had to ask the cleaner to watch over my student's test.
The commander invited me to sit down and have some tea while the guilty party sneered in my direction. The commander calmly explained that poor Abdullah was innocent as he had simply written English notes on his forearm so that he could study at ALL times - while driving, waking from a nap, eating, etc.
I declared that this man was a genius for coming up with such an incredible method for cramming before a test.
The commander and Abdullah agreed and he re-joined the test.
Pick your battles. 
I tell this anecdote not to give you more fuel for your fire, but rather to share the moral of the story.
A number of other teachers at this institution had (long ago) thrown their hands into the air, declared that they "can't work properly or be professional in situations like this."
I, also had some doubts and trying moments, but hung in there - and dealt with a HUGE number of 'unprofessionalisms' from all corners of the field.
After two very trying years and after staying on course and keeping to my "academic guns,” and professional principles, I was offered the director's position, which included a lot of perks including compound housing, spouse sponsorship and other goodies.
Just as heroes emerge from wastelands of earthquake rubble, (an overly extreme example as no teaching position can equate to such a catastrophe; but I know it can feel like it at times), professionals shine brightest when faced with the most dire students and admin.
It's not always easy to rise to an occasion and perhaps this occasion is not the one you would choose to rise to - and that's ok.
I seem to recall that you are putting the KSA in your rearview mirror never to look back and I applaud you for that. Money ain't everything – put yourself first.
I do hope that in this field (or any other) you do find your place to shine.
All the best. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Tue May 26, 2015 4:59 am Post subject: |
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| For those of you thinking about bringing your dog or cat to KSA, take a look at: |
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cnthaiksarok
Joined: 29 Jun 2012
Posts: 288
Location: between a rock and a sandy place
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| Posted: Tue May 26, 2015 5:57 am Post subject: |
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Also, instead of bringing a terra-byte - scatter your movies / files, favs, etc. into a number of thumb drives.
That could save you a potential hassle. |
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